My Little Drone: The Soul of Empathy

by Lil Snowflake

The Fall of Sunset Shimmer

~Dorothy Anya Volkova's POV~

"So, Doll. How has your studies on Equestrian lore getting on?" Princess Celestia asked me, as we walked in the courtyard of the School for Gifted Unicorns.

It's been over a month since I found myself in the world of Equestria, in an robot body and been appointed as Sunset Shimmer's study partner, under the guidance of the monarch of Equestria; Princess Celestia. And I have to say things are really starting to look up for me and Shimmer.

The reason I was taking a morning stroll with Princess Celestia was because Sunset Shimmer was going through a mid-term exam right now and I thought it was best that I take a walk around campus and not disturb Shimmer's concentration. I happened to bump into Princess Celestia and she invited me for a morning stroll, I gladly accepted.

"Пока отлично. История этого места очень интересна. (Great so far. The lore of this place is very interesting.)" I answered with a small smile.

"That's great to hear." Princess Celestia smiled back, "Have you taken the time to learn our native language?"

My smiled quickly faded into a sad frown, as I shook my head, "Я стараюсь изо всех сил, но что-то мешает мне говорить на этом языке. (I am trying my best, but something is stopping me from being able to speak it.)" I looked at my hands and balled them into fists of frustration and disappointment, "Кажется, даже заклинания Шиммер не работают. (Not even Shimmer's spells seem to work.)"

Princess Celestia lowered her head slightly with a concerned look, "I am sorry for your struggle, Doll."

I shook my head, lowered my hands and assured with a smile, "Но наши одноклассники учатся меня понимать. (But our classmates are learning to understand me.)"

Princess Celestia regained her smile, "I'm relieved to hear that."

I smiled back at her, then the ground started to rumble and vibrate quite violently. Princess Celestia and I froze in our tracks and began looking around for the source of the rumbling. Suddenly, I sensed a surge of magical energy coming from one of the towers of the School. Princess Celestia looked at me, then followed my gaze, as a large vine burst out of the tower and grew to coil around the rest of the building and across the courtyard, barely missing me and Princess Celestia.

Princess Celestia smiled proudly, "I see somepony just passed their mid-term."

I smiled and clapped my hands in applaud, "Молодец, Шиммер. (Well done, Shimmer.)"

---

*Later That Afternoon, Outside Campus...*

After passing her mid-term exam, Sunset Shimmer and I met up with each other and sat on a bench to continue and review our studies for the next exam in six months. Best to be prepared for anything, right?

During reading over a few books on advanced elemental spells and the history of Equestria, I couldn't help but notice behind Sunset Shimmer was a young lavender unicorn filly playing with an older unicorn colt with white fur and a pink alicorn mare. It looked like they were having fun. I noticed Sunset Shimmer glance at me, so I shook the thought out of my head and returned to reading my book.

It was nice and quiet, until a voice suddenly called from the other side of the bench, "Sunset Shimmer!"

I gasped in startle, as Sunset Shimmer and I turned to see five unicorn fillies walking toward us. Each of them were different from the each other. One was mint green with a white streak in her mane and tail. One was all-blue. One was white with a pink curly mane and tail. One was yellow and blue. And the last was pale yellow with a red and purple mane and tail.

"That vine you made was amazing!" The blue filly complimented Shimmer on her mid-term.

The pink-maned filly nodded in agreement, "Really exquisite!"

"Would you like to come have lunch with us?" The green filly invited, then she turned to me, "You can join us too, Doll."

I smiled and was about to answer, but Sunset Shimmer scoffed and walked away from the five fillies, dragging me close behind her with her telekinetic grip around my wrist, "Hmpf! Doll and I have better things to do than socialize. I'm going to re-read 'Advanced Elemental Magical Practices', and then Doll is going to help me practice for my advanced summoning spells exam. What are you studying for? Nothing, that's what!"

My eyes widen in shock of Shimmer's reply. I felt a sensation of hurt in my chest from her insult. I turned to the five fillies and they looked hurt, sad and angry. I regained myself and pulled my wrist back from Shimmer's magical grip, dispelling her telekinesis around my wrist.

Sunset Shimmer turned to me, "Doll? What are you doing?"

I gave Sunset Shimmer a look and walked back to the fillies. I turned to the green filly and smiled, "Я бы с удовольствием пообедал с вами, девочки. (I would love to have lunch with you girls.)"

The fillies smiled at me answer to their invitation, but Sunset Shimmer's eyes widen in shock and anger.

"What?! No!" Shimmer shouted as she used a stronger telekinetic spell to grab my wrist and pull me away from the five fillies, "You have to help me with my summoning spells exam this afternoon, not to socialize with a bunch of lowers. They're a bad influence, I can tell. Now, let's go!"

"Шиммер, они ничем не отличаются от тебя. Я практикуюсь на уроке нашего учителя о смирении. Так что оставь меня в покое! (Shimmer, they are no different from you. I am practicing on our teacher's lesson on humility. So leave me to it!)" I argued back, pulling my wrist back to my side.

On my last sentence, I felt my right eye glitch for a second, which forced Sunset Shimmer to let go of me. My right eye returned to normal and I turned back to the unicorn fillies. The fillies and I were able to spend the afternoon and lunch together, getting to know each other and enjoy each other's company.

I learned the green filly's name was Lyra. The blue one was Minuette. Lemon Hearts was the yellow and blue filly. The pink-maned filly was known as Twinkleshine. And the timid one was called Moondancer. Despite only being able to speak Russian, the fillies were able to understand me very easily, which made me happy.

---

*Later That Evening, Inside Canterlot Castle...*

"Sunset Shimmer, I have heard that you're not getting along well with the other students." Princess Celestia told Sunset Shimmer, as she, Sunset Shimmer and I walked down the hallways of Canterlot Castle, "Especially to the point that you almost forced Doll not to socialize with them. We've talked about the fact that personal relationships-"

"Personal relationships? Who needs anypony?" Sunset Shimmer scoffed, "The most important thing in life is to be the best."

"Дружба не делает тебя слабым. Это открывает вам новую перспективу, а друзья всегда рядом, когда они вам нужны. (Friendship does not make you weak. It gives you a new perspective and friends are always there when you need them.)" I spoke up, giving my opinion on personal relationships.

Princess Celestia smiled at my words, but Sunset Shimmer shot me a glare, "They also slow you down."

I glared back at Shimmer and was about to argue back, but Princess Celestia decided to speak up, "We've talked about friendship and its importance before, and we've discussed that you need to start opening yourself up. And remember that talk we had about humility?"

Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes and scoffed, "I remember how boring it was."

Princess Celestia sighed and shook her head. She lead Sunset Shimmer and I to a room with a full-length, well-decorated mirror. Something about this mirror felt magical, but something told me that I had to be careful with where my mind was.

"Look into this mirror and tell me what you see." Princess Celestia invited.

Sunset Shimmer looked at her reflection and smiled, "A beautiful pony that has nothing but power and potential."

Princess Celestia looked a little disappointed, but turned to me, "You give it a try, Doll."

Sunset Shimmer stepped aside and allowed me to look into the mirror. Staring back at me was a cybernetic robot, around the height of a nine-year-old child, with neon red eyes and long purple hair. She wore a burgundy-red shirt with black sleeves and trimmings under a black hooded vest. Matching plated skirt and black boots.

I reached to touch my hair and the robot in my reflection did the same. As I looked at my reflection, something happened; A colorful vapor surrounded my reflection's body and took the form of six figures. Each in a color of the vapor; Purple, pink, orange, yellow, white and blue. My reflection morphed into a crimson vapor and merged with the other figures, then there was an explosion of color across a familiar landscape.

"Я вижу дружбу. Мощная магия, которая принесет мир в Эквестрию и за ее пределы. (I see friendship. A powerful magic that will bring peace across Equestria and beyond.)" I answered with a hopeful smile.

Princess Celestia smiled at my answer, then turned back to Sunset Shimmer, "Care to try that again with our talk about humility taken into account?"

Sunset Shimmer growled impatiently, and took a step closer to the mirror. I stepped back from the mirror, allowing Shimmer to look at her reflection.

"I see a pony who isn't powerful enough. Somepony who could be great, powerful..." The mirror showed Shimmer a reflection of herself as a powerful alicorn, "Somepony who could rule Equestria."

But then the reflection did something. The alicorn reflection gave a sinister smirk as it stood up on its hind legs and morphed into something I found very familiar. The reflection reached to touch the surface of the mirror, as flames appeared behind it, engulfing it in the angry fire. I quickly took a step back in fear of what I saw next; Burning cyan eyes and a pair of demonic wings.

Noticing my fear, Princess Celestia gently pushed me and Sunset Shimmer away from the mirror, "Maybe we better move on..."

But Sunset Shimmer resisted Princess Celestia guidance out of the room, "Wait, what was that? I thought I saw..."

"Oh, it was probably a trick of the light." Princess Celestia replied simply, escorting Shimmer and I out of the room, "Our lesson is over for today. Tomorrow, I want you to reflect on the discussion we've just had."

But Sunset Shimmer's eyes never left the mirror, and it peaked her interest. During the next few weeks, Sunset Shimmer kept asking about the mirror, wondering if she could see it again, but Princess Celestia kept turning her down, saying that she's not ready yet.

Until one day, during a picnic, Sunset Shimmer asked again, "You know what's fascinating? Mirrors... About that that one in..."

But Princess Celestia had enough and put her hoof down, "Sunset Shimmer. We've been over this, we will get to the mirror and many other lessons in due time... When you're ready."

Sunset Shimmer frowned in disappointment and impatience. Then the wind began to pick up and the sky began to grow dark. Rain was coming in quite quickly. I grabbed the picnic basket and picnic blanket and took shelter under Princess Celestia's wing, as we ventured back to Canterlot Castle.

With my audio receptors, I was able to hear Sunset Shimmer mutter, "I am ready."

I felt a small fire of anger in my chest, but I was able to keep myself composed, because I learned these emotions are not mine, but someone else's. And this emotion was Sunset Shimmer's.

---

*The Next Night, Inside Canterlot Castle...*

I spent the night in my bedroom, staring at the ceiling and thinking about Sunset Shimmer's recent obsession with that magical mirror. It was similar to Lyra's obsession with humans, but at least she is able to keep it under control. Sunset Shimmer, on the other hand, is not letting it go and she won't until she gets answers and power.

To be frank and honest, I'm worried about this obsession. If Sunset Shimmer continues down this path, she will become what I saw in her reflection. I have to do something about this and stop her!

My train of thought came to a stop, as I heard knocking on my bedroom door. I hopped out of bed and made my way to the door. The knocking became more insistent and harder.

"Я иду. Придержи лошадей. (I'm coming. Hold your horses.)" I called, as I reached for the door handle and opened the door.

Standing on the other side of the doorway was Sunset Shimmer. She had a huge smile on her face. She's discovered something important.

I rubbed my right eye, to simulate tiredness, "Шиммер? Сейчас десять минут ночи. Что ты все еще делаешь так поздно? (Shimmer? It's ten past midnight. What are you still doing up so late?)"

"I think I found something about the mirror. You know the forbidden section in the library?" She asked me. I gave her a small nod, "There might be something there. Are you coming with me?"

I blinked in surprise. Infiltrate the forbidden section in the library? At this time of night? Has Sunset Shimmer finally lost it? Something about this doesn't feel right. I have persuade Shimmer that this is a bad idea and go back to bed before somepony sees her.

"Шиммер, ты знаешь, что еще не готова узнать о зеркале. Ты бежишь прежде, чем сможешь идти. (Shimmer, you know you're not ready to know about the mirror yet. You're running before you could walk.)" I placed my hand over her shoulder, "Пожалуйста, просто постарайся забыть обо всем этом и вернуться в постель. Завтра у нас экзамен по заклинаниям призыва. Для этого нам нужно потренироваться. (Please, just try to forget this whole thing and go back to bed. We have summoning spells exam tomorrow. We need to practice for that.)"

"Doll... You saw the same thing I saw in that mirror. We need to find out why we saw it and what it means. This isn't a quest for power, this is a quest for answers. I am ready." Shimmer told me in honesty, then she asked, "Are you with me, or not? I need you."

I looked into Shimmer's eyes, behind the obsession, behind the anger, ambition and impatience, I saw a flicker of fear. What we saw in the mirror spooked her. She really needed a friend right now, but she was asking it forcefully.

I let out a heavy sigh and nodded my head. Shimmer's smile returned, used her telekinetic magic to grab my wrist and dragged me alongside her to the forbidden section of the library. With a simple lock-picking spell, the doors flew open and we entered the section of the library.

"Not ready? I'll show her not ready." Shimmer muttered to herself, "You'd think this place would be better guarded."

With that, Sunset Shimmer and I started searching through the books on any information about the magical mirror. After a few minutes of reading book after book, still nothing on the mirror, but the information about Equestrian lore really caught my eye.

"Nothing on the mirror yet, but a few of these spells will come in handy..." Sunset Shimmer muttered to herself, as she read through another spell book.

I closed a history book and placed it aside. I searched though the shelves and one of the books popped out at me, 'Canterlot Castle: A History Vol II'. I pulled the book from the shelf and opened the book to give a small read. Let's see... 'History of the Castle'... 'The Pillars of Equestria'... 'Crystal Mirror', here we go!

"Шиммер! Я нашел кое-что! (Shimmer! I found something!)" I told Sunset Shimmer and handed her the book.

"Crystal mirror... Every thirty moons, a portal will open to... Another world?" Shimmer read, as her brows raised in confusion, "Why would Princess Celestia hide this from us?"

"That's not really for you to know, now is it?" A voice spoke from behind us, startling Sunset Shimmer and I with a small gasp.

Sunset Shimmer and I turned to see that the voice belonged to Princess Celestia and she was accompanied by two royal guards. I looked at the princess with shame and anxiety, while Shimmer looked at her mentor with anger and betrayal.

"How dare you keep this kind of magic from me!" Shimmer shouted, "You know that I'm ready for this, that I can be great!"

Princess Celestia shook her head, "You could be great. I thought I saw compassion and sincerity in you, but it was nothing but ambition." She glanced at me, "Doll has compassion and sincerity in her heart, and she's proven it time and again." Then back at Shimmer, "You, Sunset Shimmer, are being selfish, you need to step back and reflect-"

"I'm selfish?!" Sunset Shimmer shouted angrily, as her horn lit up with cyan and black magic, as her eyes emitted a black haze.

My eyes widened as I recognized this magic from the books we've just read. I quickly got to my feet and jumped in between Shimmer and Princess Celestia. Sunset Shimmer's horn fired a blast of black magic at Princess Celestia.

I gasped and quickly raised my hand protectively, I felt my right eye glitch again, and a strange symbol appeared in front of my hand.

The black magic stopped in mid-air, just inches from my hand. I raised my hand and the magic shot through the ceiling and into the sky. The two guards and Princess Celestia looked at me in surprise, as I looked at my hand in shock, the symbol disappeared and my eye returned to normal.

Unfazed by what just happened, Sunset Shimmer continued shouting, pointing to a book about Alicorn Princesses, "That book right there says I could become as powerful as an Alicorn Princess. I could rule here. It's selfish of you to keep me from my rightful place." She opened the book to the page of the transformation, "I deserve to stand beside you and be your equal... If not your better. Make me a princess!"

Princess Celestia shook her head sternly, "No. Being a princess must be earned... I have been trying to teach you everything you need to know, but you've turned from it. Every time you say you 'deserve' to get something without the effort just proves to me that you are not ready."

Princess Celestia stood beside me and opened her wings to announce, "Sunset Shimmer. I am removing you from the position of my pupil. If we cannot get past this, your studies end here. You are welcome to stay in Canterlot, but you are no longer welcome in the castle."

Sunset Shimmer growled in anger, "We'll never get past this because you aren't seeing how great I deserve to be. Is that really all you have to say to me?"

Princess Celestia shook her head again and the royal guards walked toward Shimmer, "No. The guards will escort you out."

The guards took Sunset Shimmer one each of her sides and escorted her out of the library.

"This is the biggest mistake you'll make in your entire life." Sunset Shimmer threatened.

Princess Celestia lowered her head in disappointment, "One of many." Then she turned to me, "Are you hurt, Doll?"

"Я в порядке. (I am fine.)" I assured, then asked pointing to my hand and then the hole in the ceiling, "Что это было? (What was that?)"

"I don't know." She answered, then she assured me, "But I am certain that we'll figure it out together, and teach you to master it."

"Ты... ты не сердишься на меня? (You... Aren't you angry with me?)" I asked, then explained in a small panic, "Я позволил Шиммер прийти в этот раздел библиотеки. Я нашел книгу. (I allowed Shimmer to come to this section of the library. I found the book.)"

"I also know that you tried to persuade her away from this path." Princess Celestia pointed out, "I also saw you with the other classmates. Not only are you compassionate, Doll, but you're honest, generous and strong-willed. You are welcome to stay in the castle, and we'll find you a new friend."

I smiled in relief and humility. Princess Celestia let out a small yawn. I took her by the wing and escorted her out of the library and into the halls of the castle, make our way to our bedrooms. However, once we reached a certain room, we found the two royal guards laying on the ground, battered and bruised, and no sign of Sunset Shimmer.

Princess Celestia gasped, "Oh, Sunset Shimmer... No..."

I quickly ran to the guards and helped them to their hooves, "Что случилось? (What happened?)"

"She took us by surprise and just... Just... Jumped in the mirror. I don't know..." The guard answered, uncertain how to react.

"Shh. It's fine." Princess Celestia assured calmly, then requested of the guards, "If you're feeling up to it, would you please help move the mirror to a safer place?" She turned to me, "Doll, please return to your room. We'll handle this."

I wanted to argue back, but if Princess Celestia tells you to do something, it's for a good reason. I nodded and made my way to my bedroom. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it with a heavy sigh, slowly sinking into a sitting position. Many questions race through my mind.

With Sunset Shimmer gone, what will happen next?
Who will be my new friend?
Will they be the same as Shimmer, or different?
What was that power that I just used?

Comments

[KibaStray]

With what I understand of the show (Murder Drones). Both the murder drones and the worker drones that have "Absolute Solver" need oil so they don't overheat and die. I am curious how that will play into things.

Two main points that interest me.
1) After this show of power, will the day/sunlight cause her to start to overheat? If so, then will stop using her powers out of fear? (Or to be a bit more angsty does being around Celestia cause her to overheat?)
2) Is Doll's diet actual oil? I know that even a feudal/ pre-industial Equestria should have oil in some form. Lanterns and machines do exist after all.

[Fox Jones]

And so it begins...

... Again!

[Arceaion]

Well, you caught my attention.

[Super Trexation]

11839979
Good observations. Though more importantly, will the Solver take over her mind like Uzi?

[Lil Snowflake]

11852406
Maybe... Maybe not...
Depends on Doll's willpower and control.